Body Fat
Body fat, or to the medical community, adipose tissue is loose connective tissue which is composed of adipocytes. The goal of this tissue is for the storage of energy in the human body. Furthermore, it also helps to insulate as well as cushion the body. The concept of obesity or being fat has to do with not one’s actual weight, but rather the amount of body fat that they have. When it comes to body fat though, there are two different forms of this adipose tissue which includes the white and brown adipose tissues. These tissues play an important role in the production of TNFα, resistin as well as leptin. However the actual formation of the body fat is reliant on genes. The control of adipose tissue development is done by the particular adipose gene and therefore is genetic. This tissue is located beneath the layer of skin as well as around various organs and bone marrow. The tissue itself is composed of varying types of cells which can include the adipocytes which contain the actual fat, macrophages, fibroblasts, as well as endothelial cells are the other major cell types found in body fat. Seeing as though this is also living tissue, intertwined within the matrix of body fat is a large system of micro sized blood vessels, nerves among many other tissues. While the development of adipose tissue or body fat is genetic, this of course does not play an actual role in obesity. Our bodies require fat as a means of protecting vital organs and storing energy. However when this tissue becomes excessive, it is not actually genetic. The excess tissue is developed as a result of the fatty acids from the foods one ingests being separated by the lipoprotein lipase. If one takes in excessive amounts of fatty acids, this process occurs in an excessive amount. If you have a fast metabolism then this excessive energy can easily be burned off, however when the metabolic process is slowed down because of lack of exercise or a consistency of over eating, the extra energy is not burned off, but rather stored away for later use. This then becomes an almost snow-ball effect as one who is gaining weight also becomes more lethargic and therefore will gain even more weight.
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